Public Statements

David Pledges to Protect Social Security

Press Release

David Whitaker, the Democratic nominee for Congress in Arkansas' Third District, pledged on Monday to protect Social Security benefits for Arkansas seniors, and to seek a bipartisan solution to ensure that future generations would be protected in their retirement.

This weekend we celebrated the 75th anniversary of a program that has provided dignity and a standard of living for senior citizens that is unparalleled in the world," Whitaker said. "We must seek common ground to protect our seniors, and keep Social Security safe."

Whitaker pledged to protect the current level of benefits and to not raise the retirement age for seniors.

Workers in Arkansas have lived their entire lives with the promise of a secure and stable retirement, and we owe it to them to protect that," Whitaker said. "Seniors in this country depend on Social Security, and over 60% of them rely on it for more than half of their monthly income. Protecting Social Security is not negotiable for me."

A recent report from the Social Security Trustees guaranteed solvency for the program at current levels through 2037, and made it clear that benefits could be maintained at a 75% rate through 2084.

Despite the recession, the Social Security trust fund has flourished, growing by $122 billion in 2009, and maintaining administrative costs of less than 1%.

Frankly, Mayor Womack's stance on Social Security is dangerous," said Whitaker for Congress Political Director Will Watson. He continued, "Steve Womack says he supports privatizing Social Security.

Arkansas seniors deserve better than a Congressman that would put their future in the hands of the same bankers and Wall Street risk jockeys that brought us to the brink of economic collapse."

In the Third District alone, more than 97,000 seniors depend on Social Security for some part of their income.